[1] After finishing the previous season with the worst record, the Hawks selected Marvin Williams out of the University of North Carolina with the second overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft.
During the offseason, the team acquired Joe Johnson from the Phoenix Suns,[2] and signed free agent Zaza Pachulia.
However, tragedy struck as center Jason Collier suffered a heart attack during the preseason and died suddenly on October 15.
The Hawks would stumble out of the gate again losing their first nine games the same as the Toronto Raptors, on their way to an awful 2–16 start.
The Hawks doubled their win total by finishing last place in the Southeast Division with a 26–56 record, tied with the second-year Charlotte Bobcats.